The subject matter disclosed herein relates generally to ultrasound systems and, more particularly, to probes for ultrasound medical imaging systems.
Ultrasound systems typically include ultrasound scanning devices, such as ultrasound probes having different transducers that allow for performing various different ultrasound scans (e.g., different imaging of a volume or body). The ultrasound probes are typically connected to an ultrasound system that controls the operation of the probes. The probes include a scan head having a plurality of transducer elements (e.g., piezoelectric crystals), which may be arranged in an array. The ultrasound system drives the transducer elements within the array during operation, such as, during a scan of a volume or body, which may be controlled based upon the type of scan to be performed.
In mechanical volume probes, often referred to as mechanical four-dimensional (4D) probes, the scan head mechanically moves during scanning operation. In these mechanical 4D probes, the mechanically moving transducer is interconnected to the non-moving portion of the probe to provide communication of signals to and from the transducer. The interconnections have to withstand considerable mechanical stress in the dynamic bending of the cable/flex interconnect.
In some conventional arrangements, separate interconnections are used to connect to the individual transducer elements. These interconnections have to meet certain acoustic requirements to avoid acoustic artifacts in imaging. These conventional interconnection arrangements use separate parts for the connection to the transducer elements and to the scan head. For example, some interconnection arrangements use coaxial cable assemblies for the scan head cable and connect to a separated flexible interconnection for connection to the transducer elements. This connection arrangement results in a larger probe and higher cost of manufacture.
Thus, the transducer connection and scan head connection in conventional arrangements requires additional interconnects and thus additional space within the probe. Accordingly, miniaturization of the probe is limited and the cost for the assembly is increased.